


When Darkness Falls

by saviourshope



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-16
Updated: 2015-08-24
Packaged: 2018-03-23 05:41:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3756541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saviourshope/pseuds/saviourshope
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Emma has given in to the darkness and has only one goal in mind. Can Killian save her from herself or is all hope lost?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. No light, no light

**Author's Note:**

> I don't actually think that Emma can fall so deep but the idea of dark!Emma just intrigues me so this happened. It's kinda spoiler-y so read at your own risk!

_**Part 1**  No light, no light..._

Darkness was a curious thing. It had the tendency to sneak up on a person without notice and then it was there, possessing every single part of the body, the mind, the soul. She had been warned of this. Someone she once cared about deeply had told her so. It hadn't mattered to her then because she was her own master and decided her own fate and darkness was not what she would've chosen then. Now though? Darkness was not only part of her, she was darkness in everything but name. There was rage coursing through her veins, and fire. There was power and lust and a burning desire to destroy. She had chosen darkness and she would keep choosing it because it just felt so damn  _good._  There were people out there who wanted her to turn away from it, she knew that, but those people had been part of what had made her turn dark in the first place. Her life had always been a series of betrayals and losses, of trying to see the good in everyone and to hope, only to be disappointed again and again. She'd thought she'd found it, her happiness, her home, her family. And then they had just proven to her that trust was dangerous. She had trusted them and got burned for it. Lies. Nothing but lies everywhere. Were they really that surprised that the darkness had found a way in?

She had fought it at first, she really had. She had tried to be good, had tried to hold on to the hope that everyone always talked about, had tried to do her duty as the saviour. She had brought back the only friend she ever had growing up and had reunited her with her mother; there she'd been, her friend, Lily. Her opposite. The girl with all the potential for darkness. And here she was. Emma, the girl with all the potential for light. She had to laugh. Life was not that simple, no matter what her parents thought.

She'd tried to stay true, had brought someone else another happy ending but to her bringing Lily back had only caused more pain, more loss, more lies.

Emma had always lived a life in the grey zone between black and white. Grey was her friend, grey was what got her through. Stealing, running away, conning, those were her constant companions out there in the real world, the world without magic, without heroes and villains, where happy endings were not just brought on through hope, where love was rare and betrayal an everyday occurrence. She'd thought she'd experienced love but had found loss instead. She'd thought she'd found a home once but had lost it instead. Sometimes she marvelled at how she had stayed on the path of light for so long when light had been only too rare in her life and she always lost it again. It had really always been simply a matter of time until she strayed from the path. Potential for goodness, her parents had told her. Her potential for goodness ran about as deep as theirs and as she had had to find out that was not as deep as they'd always pretended.

Yes, her magic had been light, there was that. But now, oh now her magic was more powerful than ever before. There was hardly any effort involved in it, it was as if the will to stay good had been a boundary that kept her from reaching her full potential and now that she didn't care anymore her powers were magnified, dark, strong and unyielding to the influence of others, bending only to her will and her desires.

"Mom!"

Henry. Her son. She'd loved him once, maybe she still did deep down.

From her vantage point on top of the hill enclosed by trees she could see him running towards her when she turned her head but she didn't care to see him so she faced the town below instead. She could feel him stop right outside the force-field surrounding her but she didn't turn to look at him. Yes, she had indeed loved him once but now that love was of no consequence anymore. He'd brought her to this town to brake a curse and bring back happy endings. She had done that. She had given him her heart, loved him, cared for him in turn but he had chosen Regina, he didn't need her. Her love for him had become something he took for granted, he had thrown her heart away, at least that's what the darkness told her, that's what she told herself so she had a reason not to care for him anymore.

"Mom!" Henry shouted again and Emma finally turned around, meeting her son's eyes that looked back at her, scared, lost even. His father's eyes. Maybe Henry had always been destined to betray her just like his father had. The thought hurt but it was a dull pain, hidden deep below her suppressed emotions.

"Mom, please!"

Emma could hear the quiver in his voice but it left her cold. There was only one thing on her mind and it was darkness. Always darkness. Her powers were strong but oh, how strong would she be if she finally got hold of the one thing she desired most right now. She could feel it, the dagger. It was made of darkness and it had fuelled her darkness, they were connected already. Gold had done everything to plant seeds of evil in her, had watched them grow into dark flowers that consumed her and now she craved more of it. She wanted to feel the power of holding the most powerful dark instrument in her own hands, wanted to be its master, wanted to own it. She could feel the blade and she knew it was getting closer.

Noises from the woods momentarily shook her from her thoughts. More people were approaching and when she searched the trees, she suddenly found herself looking into an ocean. Her heart leapt, something in her reminding her of the feelings she'd had for the man standing there. But then she remembered his betrayal and it was like her heart got ripped and crushed into ash, drowning her of colour and emotion, drowning her of every single happy memory she had ever made with him, turning them dark and twisted and revealing them as the lies they were. Everyone else's betrayal she had been able to suppress, live with, at least a bit. But his? His betrayal had been the one that had sent her tumbling over the edge where she embraced the night like an old friend hoping she would get swallowed by the dark abyss.

She'd believed that she meant as much to him as he meant to her. He'd basically told her so. He'd told her she was his happy ending. But apparently that had not been enough for the pirate. As she thought back and remembered what he'd done to her, how he had toyed with her, rage started to roar in her like a beast that wanted to be let out, set free to destroy and wreck havoc, kill. Sparks began flying around her, dark smoke swirling and sizzling like electricity, illuminating her in a dark purplish glow, beautiful and menacing at once. She turned her head to look at the two people standing at the edge of her force-field and she could see the fear in her son's eyes, a pang of regret flaring up inside her. Then her eyes found Killian's again and the regret disappeared. He looked worried, maybe even scared but she didn't care. With an angry scream - her usually calm demeanour long gone - she sent a wave of dark magic flying towards her former lover.

Killian reacted quickly, jumping out of the way just in time and even in her rage she could still see the surprise on his face. He seemed not to know what had driven her to attack him, seemed not to know that she  _knew_ , that she had  _seen._ He always talked of honour and good form, yet something had driven him to throw both overboard in favour for  _the other one_. Lily. She should never have brought her back, should never have attempted to bring happy endings back. She should've held on to her own happy ending and ran away with it. She should've… oh, what good did it do her to dwell on the things she should have done. It would not change the past, it would not change the future. She had darkness now and it was all that mattered.

"Emma!"

His voice broke, worry etched deep into the sonorous tones that usually soothed her, that usually made her want to run into his arms and hold him tight. There was none of that now nor would it ever be again.

"Emma, please! Let go of this madness!" he begged her, trying to step closer, trying to break the spell that enclosed her completely.

A laugh escaped her lips and she had to smirk at his weakness. What had possessed her to fall for him? She must have been weak herself but now, now she was strong and she would not give in.

"This isn't madness, Killian," she spat, "it's what everyone has driven me towards. Don't you see? This is who I really am, I have never been more powerful, more alive!"

"Darkness is a funny thing, isn't it…" he smiled sadly at her. He knew darkness only too well, he knew what it was like and his biggest fear had come true. He was losing her to it, he was losing her to Gold, the man who had once before taken his love from him.

"It is indeed…" Emma whispered to herself, her palms burning with energy, wanting to get revenge on the man she'd loved. Maybe wanting revenge meant she still loved him. She should feel nothing but she did. The pain was always there like a thousand needles piercing her heart, making her bleed from the inside out. She liked the pain, she knew pain. And this pain fed the monster inside her, made it grow bigger and darker, more powerful and she itched to release another spell to show him how he'd betrayed her, to make him feel the pain she felt.

Instead she balled her hands to fists quenching the sparks and calming herself. The fire still pulsed through her veins but she needed a clear head. There was only one thing left for her to do and before she did, she wanted Killian to know that this was his fault, that he had driven her over the edge.

Straightening her back, she stepped forward, slowly, one foot in front of the other, her eyes hard as steel. She watched him watch her, saw the hope flare up in his soft eyes, in the way he shuffled on his feet, the way he scratched his ear absentmindedly, the nervous tick she used to adore so much.

"You've got something I want," she whispered, stopping on her side of the force-field only a breath away from him. She could smell him, could feel his warmth and her body wanted him, craved him, desired him as it had from the moment she had first laid eyes on him in the Enchanted Forest so long ago.

He frowned at her questioningly but made no move to give her the instrument hidden inside his jacket. She could feel it pulsing there, emanating its dark nature to her, calling her. With a flick of her hand the dagger finally found its home in her palm and as soon as the handle touched her skin a new wave of electricity rushed through her igniting the force of her magic tenfold again. There was still another name written on the blade, she was not yet its master but she could feel that the blade wanted to be hers as much as she wanted it to be hers.

She heard her son gasp to the right, was aware of her parents figures showing up behind Killian, her mother a look of fear and failure on her face, her father looking uncertain, lost. She saw Killian reach out for her, a silent "Emma, no" on his lips, saw his hand being repelled by the spell around her, saw the pain flash across his face. She also felt her new strength coursing through her. She could feel every particle, every atom in the air, felt like she could split it with a single thought of her mind, a single flick of her hand. The world was hers and hers alone.

"Emma," Killian's voice rang through to her, bringing her back to the people surrounding her and she met his eyes once more.

"What?!" she exclaimed, "did you think I wouldn't notice you had the blade?"

Killian shook his head but Emma wasn't going to let him reply.

"Did you think you could sneak up on me and kill me so you could be with Lily?!"

She growled her friends name through gritted teeth, watched Killian's reaction, wanted to see the truth of her words in his eyes but what she saw was confusion.

She'd seen him kiss Lily as fiercely as he used to kiss her and it had shattered her world into pieces, had destroyed her more than anything else because he was the one who was supposed to stand by her, be her rock and her solace and he had betrayed her.

"I saw you," she disclosed in hushed tones, the hurt pressing through the darkness, the emotions more overwhelming that she thought they would be.

"Saw what, love?" he asked still confused, his eyebrow raised, eyes searching hers questioningly. His endearment pained her now, wasn't the usual soft assurance that he cared for her.

"I saw you kiss her. Just be honest so we can move on." She straightened her back again, stealing herself, becoming iron, building up her wall higher than ever in an attempt not to feel a thing.  _Not feeling anything was a good option when what you felt was only pain,_ she remembered her own words from so long ago.

She looked at Killian then, finally wanting to see his reaction, see him admit to it. What she saw on his face, however, was surprise, confusion, astonishment. Her superpower was still fully intact and she could see no lie in the look on his face, he had no idea what she was talking about and it confused her. Had she been wrong? Had she been tricked? Had it all been a construct of Gold's plan for her to turn? None of it mattered now, the damage was done no matter if it had been Killian or Gold's doing, she was too far gone, too shrouded in darkness to turn around.

Emma shrugged her shoulders then. "It makes no difference anymore."

"It does to me, love. I would never betray you…" He paused, scrutinising her and it seemed as if he came to a decision then as he squared his shoulders and reached out for her again, stopping his hand just before the force-field.

"I can see that you will not turn from the darkness that possesses you but I will not turn from you. I know the darkness and for you I will willingly slip back into it. I brought you the dagger in case I found you like this so I could give it to you and prove that I am yours forever and in whatever way you want me. What do you say, love? You and I can bring down the Dark One and give in to the night together, rule the seas and take whatever we want."

The man staring at her now was no longer Killian Jones. Somewhere during his little speech he had revealed his true nature to her, Captain Hook, the feared ruthless pirate who wanted nothing more but revenge and took what was his right without fear of consequences. His eyes had grown darker, hooded with the darkness that she'd seen before. She had always been attracted to his revenge driven persona but now that she felt her own dark nature, his attracted her even more. The smirk on his face revealed to her that he knew her answer, knew that she could not resist him like this.

A new fire ignited in the pit of her stomach. She no longer cared if he had betrayed her or not. What she felt now was not love even though it had once been that. It was now simple desire and the want for their bodies to crash and be one, to chase the darkness together, to destroy together, to make everyone fear them, to care only for themselves and no one else.

A smirk of her own appeared on her face and she gripped the dagger tighter, her hand reaching out to grab him by the collar of his leather jacket. With one quick jerk she pulled him through the force-field and to her, the dagger suddenly at his throat, a threatening look on her face.

"If you ever dare to even think about betraying me I will drive this blade right through you heart, do you understand?" she growled through gritted teeth, the blade cutting into the thin skin of his neck ever so slightly, a trickle of blood accentuating her point. Behind them, she could hear Mary Margaret gasp, could see David grab his wife around the waist and holding her close, saw Henry run towards his grandparents and she still did not care. Hook grinned at her, wiggling his eyebrows and cocking his head sideways, deepening the cut as a result.

"I would not dare, love."

She nodded once, turned him around, still holding the blade to his throat and looked at her family. She meant what she had said to Hook but she also knew that no matter what drove her, he would always be part of her. He was good for her when she was good, now that she was dark, she needed him dark as well but if he betrayed her, he would not live to tell the tale. It would be the hardest thing she ever did but she knew she would do it nonetheless. With that thought in mind, she met her father's eyes, then her mothers and her sons.

"Don't try to find us," she told them, waiting for the little nod she knew David would give her. Her father felt responsible for what she was now and when her father felt responsible she knew he would try anything to make it right again. This was all he could do right now so just like she thought he would, he nodded once. She didn't see the look he exchanged with Killian. Finally, with a flick of her hand, the force-field disappeared, black smoke started circling around her and Hook and then they disappeared.


	2. Darkness cannot drive out darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Killian hopes his love for Emma can save her from the darkness that has taken up residence in her mind. Can he find a way?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I might've been very wrong about thinking Emma won't go full on dark in the show and it excites me very much... Anyway, here's my second part of this little fic (it already turned longer than I ever intended, as you can see it'll have a third part). What happened to Cruella is not part of this.
> 
> Thanks to potentialheartofdarkness for letting me ramble about this fic and for beta-ing parts of it.
> 
> Oh yeah.. it's M-rated this time... (I've never written smut before, help)

_Part 2: Darkness cannot drive out darkness..._

A chill ran down his spine as he watched the Dark One's grin widen, teeth showing and eyes flickering with a hint of gold. The crocodile was covered half by darkness and it was hard to make out all of his features but Killian saw enough. It hadn't taken particularly long to find Gold and both men were very well aware as to why. Gold wanted Hook exactly where he was and each of them knew that this encounter had exactly one ending. For Killian the choice was simple. Revenge was long gone from his mind but he was not going to let the monster before him destroy his life all over again. He was not going to let the crocodile threaten another woman he loved. If that meant that in the process he would get the revenge he had sought for 300 years, so be it.

"You've lusted for it so long, dearie, just pick it up," the Dark One taunted, an amused yet menacing chuckle in his voice.

There was little left of the Gold that once promised Belle to love her and be hers forever. He was the beast again in all but his glittery skin. Only this time he was past the point of no return, making the choice for Killian that much simpler. He knew he would not feel any regret for the man. Maybe for Belle, who had become his friend and would yet again have to suffer, but most certainly not for Gold.

Slowly, he took a step forward, never taking his eyes off the man standing a few feet away. There was truth in Gold's words. He had indeed longed for this moment for a very long time but now that it was here he just wanted the blade destroyed, wanted it out of the way, leaving him and the people he cared for alone. Just seeing it lying there made his stomach churn, his blood boil and every fibre in his body want to run the other way. But that was not an option today. There was only one way he could save her and if this was it he was more than willing to pay the price.

Straightening his back and clenching his jaw, he slowly knelt down to pick up the instrument lying on the ground in front of him. As soon as his hand touched the handle of the blade he could feel the magic and the darkness coursing through it. It pulsed through his hand, his arm and from there into every crevice of his body, making him grip the dagger tighter. It would be so easy to slip back into the shadows of the night and join her. It would be so easy to destroy the man in front of him and take his mantle so she could live in the light again.

He clenched his jaw then. This was not what he wanted, not who he was. He would only turn to this option as a last resort if all else failed. After all, he had turned his life around for her, had found the path again that his brother would be proud of, the blade in his hand had nothing on him. Determined not to let the powerful instrument get to him, to not let the darkness enter him once more, he shot a look towards Gold.

"I command you to remain here until I return."

The look on the other man's face gave Killian pause. He had expected surprise, confusion. What he saw was the same smirk as before and a small nod. Gold had no other choice but to stay put yet it seemed like he'd known exactly that Killian would resist the power of the dagger. He looked like a man who could not wait to see the fruit of his labour.

Killian had no time to contemplate the matter as at this moment his phone vibrated in his pocket. Turning away from Gold, he grabbed the device and looked at its lit screen, relief washing over him when he saw the words.  _Top of the hill_  said the boy's message.

Over the last few days he had watched Emma draw back into herself, shut everyone out. Her parents, Regina, even Henry and himself, and he had no idea as to why. After she had returned from her trip to New York she had seemed almost carefree. She had removed another villain from the Dark One's grasp yet something had still troubled her restless mind. He knew her, he knew her mind and her worries, knew that her parent's betrayal had nagged at her and he had tried everything to reassure her. At first his support had seemed to help, had taken her mind off and even elicited a laugh or two on their nights on his ship with their bodies entangled, skin to skin. Then, two days past she had withdrawn completely and without warning. He had waited for her to return to the Jolly Roger in the evening but she had never showed. He had called David, Regina, Henry but none of them had seen her, all assuming she was with him. They had searched everywhere for her, the station, the woods, the library, the sorcerer's mansion, Lily's. She had disappeared and he couldn't understand why.

Finally, Regina had told them she had seen Emma in the park, had told them that she was gone, succumbed to the darkness, and something in Killian had shattered.

"The Crocodile," was all he'd grumbled through gritted teeth, hand balled to a fist, his nails digging into the flesh of his palm.

Regina had nodded. "I don't know how, but he got to her…"

That had been the moment he'd known what he had to do and it had led him here to the edge of town, shut off from the woman he loved with all his heart by a magical force, her son standing a few feet away from him and the Dark One's dagger pulsing against his chest where it was hidden in his jacket.

Everything that transpired from there seemed like a haze. Her accusations, his apparent - if false - hand in her downfall, the pain in his chest at the coldness of her words, he saw it all as if he were a ghost. Gold had spun his web well, lured her into the trap without anyone noticing once. He tried to reason with her but she simply laughed. She was clever, his Swan. Clever and fast.  _A good pirate_ , he thought with a pang when she stole the dagger from him. When he saw the look on her face as she held the dagger, he knew. There was no going back for her. He would not reach her, his love would not be enough. He was certain that she cared for him as much as he did for her but even if he was right, this sentiment would now be buried deep in the crevices of her being.  _His love would not cure her_. However, he could see that the desire in her eyes was still visible, still alive. Love may have disappeared, but lust was still there and if that's what it took, he knew he would take the chance. His decision was made and he heard himself say the words that would bring her a little closer again. At least he hoped so.

 _"I can see that you will not turn from the darkness that possesses you but I will not turn from you. I know the darkness and for you I will willingly slip back into it."_ He said it with as much conviction as he could. Darkness was his old friend after all. He wasn't afraid of it. He was afraid for her. If his darkness was what would chase hers away, so be it.  _"I brought you the dagger in case I found you like this so I could give it to you and prove that I am yours forever and in whatever way you want me. What do you say, love? You and I can bring down the Dark One and give in to the night together, rule the seas and take whatever we want."_

Once, long ago, he might have loved the idea of this. His Swan and him sailing the seas, plundering and thieving, caring about nothing and no one but themselves. Now the thought filled him with pain.

There was no place for this pain though. He had to play his part, had to play it well or all would be for naught. So he slipped back into his pirate persona and watched as Emma made her decision.

Darkness always attracted darkness and he could see something inside her click, felt her gravitating towards him again. Relief washed over him but at the same time he felt like he was being stabbed. This wasn't right, this was not how it was supposed to go. He had done bad things but she had turned him around, had shown him the light. She  _was_  the light. He hoped that light was still somewhere in there.

When the dagger cut into his throat he knew he had her. He could feel the fire inside her, saw it reflected in her eyes as a little trickle of blood tickled his delicate skin.

_"If you ever dare to even think about betraying me I will drive this blade right through you heart, do you understand?"_

The words cut him more than the dagger but he stood his ground. He would never betray her. He had promised her to always see the good in her and he would stick to that. There was good in her left, he believed it, wanted to believe it,  _had_  to believe it.

When she turned him around his eyes met her father's and he could see the man's fear. The feeling of dread on David's face was only too familiar to Killian and now that Emma was not looking at him, he tried his best to communicate to David that he would bring Emma back.

 _"Don't try to find us,"_ he heard Emma growl behind him, the dagger still cutting into his flesh. Slowly, Killian blinked and to his relieve both Mary Margaret and David seemed to understand because David nodded once. Killian saw the pleading look on David's face to save his daughter and with that in Killian's mind, the world around him disappeared.

* * *

"Where are we, love?"

The magical transportation had disorientated him. He found it difficult to find his bearings. The dagger was gone from his throat, Emma no longer pressed to his back, so he absentmindedly rubbed the spot where she'd cut him, relieved to be free of the threat. Then he turned to look at the woman he loved. She had stepped a few paces into the room and now looked back at him, brow arched, eyes bloodshot and almost devoid of life. How had he not seen it sooner, how had he not seen the darkness eating away at her? He should've seen it, should've known. Maybe she had a point. He had led her to fall into the darkness as much as any other person because he had done  _nothing._

As the dizziness slowly faded and objects around him started to come into focus again, he realised that she had brought them to the back of Gold's shop, probably hoping to find the Dark One here to fulfil her final deed but Killian knew the man would not be here.

Emma simply laughed as he vocalised his thoughts and she gripped the dagger in her hand a little tighter. He'd always been attracted to her strength, her will, the light inside of her but the darkness in her was something else. Yes, he had vowed to always see the best in her and he would continue to do that, however, in the meantime, he would also embrace the darkness that was now hers.

"Are we in a rush?" he inquired, his voice kept innocent while he took a step closer to her, his head slightly tilted to the side and his eyebrows raised at her in challenge.

He saw the smirk appearing on her face, knew she saw right through his intentions and stepped in, taking charge like he knew she would.

"I guess there's a little time."

He chuckled at her words spoken almost through gritted teeth. She was battling with herself, with her desire of wanting the dagger to be hers and her desire of devouring him. To his luck, the latter won over when she finally stepped into his personal space. A little of her insecurity was still visible in her eyes, his false betrayal not yet gone from her mind but there was wickedness there too, hunger and lust as she feasted on his body with her emerald eyes laced with darkness. Slowly, carefully, he dragged her a little closer, hook inserted in a belt loop of her jeans and she put the dagger down on the table next to her. Her hands came to rest on his chest, eyes locked on his while a wicked grin started to spread on her beautiful face, certainly intent to destroy him.

A growl began to form in his throat then and without further ado he dived in, capturing her lips with his in a feral need to be close to her, feel her, the pirate in him gaining dominance. Maybe he had hoped that a kiss would release her from the darkness, save her from it but it didn't. Instead it sparked a fire in both of them, something they had previously held back, when fast and powerful and messy was not what either of them had needed. Now though, all bets were off as their hands started roaming over the others body, Emma pulling him closer by the lapels of his jacket, the most delicious sounds escaping her luscious lips. He tangled his fingers in her hair, angling her head to the side to deepen their kiss, slowly backing her up against the wall. His tongue demanded entrance to her mouth that she willingly gave, circling her tongue around his, both of them tasting the other.

His hand came to rest on the wall beside her head while his hooked arm went around her waist, pulling her closer to him, his hip meeting hers desperately wanting to feel the friction, feel  _her_.

Emma moaned against his lips, her fingers scraping his skull, tugging at his hair. It wasn't her usual soft way of holding him to her but more instinctive, primal, and he loved it, wanted more.

"Gods, Emma," he groaned into her mouth, taking her lower lip between his teeth, pulling at it. Heat pooled low in his belly and moved even further south as she pulled back only to dive back in and bite his lips in return, simply to let go again. Her hands rested on his shoulders, the tips of her fingers playing with the soft hair at the base of his neck, her eyes trained on him as she panted lightly, her breath mixing with his as he started trailing kisses along her jaw, nibbled at her earlobe. His hand came to rest in her hair again, tilting her head to give him better access to her gorgeous neck.

He loved the way her body reacted to his ministrations, how she couldn't hold back the little gasps and moans when he sucked at her delicate flesh where shoulder and neck meet, as his mouth and tongue travelled down her neck to her collarbone, marking her as his with little bites. He loved the way she was still his Swan, even with the darkness inside her. He loved how her hands under his shirt left trails of burning flesh behind, her touch igniting his desire for her more wildly than ever, his trousers becoming uncomfortably tight.

Killian could feel her impatience, felt her tugging him up again where he was met with her lips firmly on his, her teeth scratching his lower lip, pulling passionately. Sometimes he forgot just how strong she was when he suddenly got pushed away and in the blink of an eye he had the air knocked out of his lungs as she turned him and pushed him against the wall. She tiptoed up a little to have better leverage over him, kissing him again like she wanted to drown in him, her breasts pressing against his chest, her hands travelling down his side, resting only for a second on his hips before she started fumbling with his belt.

"Swan," he broke the kiss, looking at her.

"Shut up, pirate," she growled, continuing her work on his belt.

Killian had yet to refuse her a wish so he stroked his hand down her back and over her perfectly formed bottom, starting to lift her leg up around his hip. With one swift move he grabbed the other leg too, effectively stopping her handiwork on his belt and buttons so she could link her hands behind his neck. He lifted her up, holding her in place with his hand and hook on the sides of her thighs. The friction it created between them made them moan in unison, Emma bucking her hips into his for more while Killian took Emma's lip into his mouth again, sucking and pulling as he walked with her to the nearest flat surface.

In between heated kisses they managed to discard each other of their trousers, Killian's dropping to his ankles, Emma still one leg covered in the jeans she was wearing, neither of them patient enough to drag this out any longer.

Lifting her off the table once more, Killian ridded her of her panties, bending down to kiss the inside of her thigh, moving closer and closer to where he knew she wanted him. He teased her sensitive flesh, coaxing short moans and gasps out of her. He knew it was too much when she grabbed his hair and pulled, the nerves on the skin of his scalp sending shivers of pleasure down his spine.

"No time, Hook," Emma moaned, dragging his head back up to her, clashing their mouths before he could even respond and her hand wandered down to grab him through his underwear. He sighed at her touch leaning in further, deepening the kiss while her hand stroked him through the fabric, creating just enough friction to drive him half mad. Finally, with one swift move she freed his erection from the confines of the fabric and shifted forward on the table, too impatient for more foreplay. She placed him at her entrance, her juices already dripping out of her and he groaned when he felt her warmth. He loved that she was so ready for him, wet and needy, and without further warning he sheathed himself inside her, her head falling back in pleasure at the feel of him filling her up so completely.

"I want you to fuck me hard, do you hear me?"

The words came out in a staccato of breathless gasps as he accommodated himself inside her, hand and hook finding her hips as he started to slowly pull out and thrust back into her, helping her adjust to his length.

Impatient lass that she was, Emma crossed her legs behind his hip. She was ready enough so she pulled him closer to her, making him thrust as deep as he could, her breath hitching as he hit the walls inside her.

"I told you to fuck me hard," she complained through gritted teeth.

"Bloody hell, woman!" he gasped, locking eyes with her. A simple raise of her eyebrows was all it took. He started pulling out again, then trusted back in hard, enjoying the feel of her, enjoying the way she moaned in bliss as he hit all the right spots.

Emma placed her hands firmly on the table, angling her hips up, meeting his every thrust as he pushed in and out relentlessly, chasing after much needed release.

Soon everything around them disappeared completely, a sheen of sweat covering both their foreheads, the only sounds in the room that of flesh against flesh and their panting sounds of pleasure. When he heard her breathing speed up, becoming more erratic, when he saw her biting her lips, he knew she was close. He increased the depth and speed of his thrusts, relishing in the little screams she tried to stifle. He was close to falling himself but it was nowhere near as close as he thought as when he saw her touch herself, rubbing her sensitive spot with her fingers to speed along her climax. He felt her tense then, walls clenching around his length accompanied by  _fuck's_  and,  _oh gods_  that spilled from her lips as she rode out her orgasm. It was all it took for him to fall tumbling over the edge right after her, her name falling from his lips as he came.

His head came to rest on her shoulder, her hand in his hair as they panted together, hearts beating in a steady rhythm against their chests as they tried to calm down.

With his hand he held her to him at the small of her back stroking little circles with his thumb. Once he regained his breath - the room in which they stood eerily quiet now - he placed his hand on the table and felt himself connect with cold metal. The blade beneath his fingers suddenly reminded him of why they were here and his eyes flew open in shock. This was not how things were supposed to go, he had had no intention of taking her on a table, probably ensuring bruises all over her body the next day but he revelled in the fact that he had been allowed to mark her so, had managed to elicit the moans and little cries of pleasure from her even through the darkness filling her mind.

As he finally slipped out of her, he held her gaze, saw that the sparks in her green irises were still there, the ones that made her eyes shine like gemstones in the moon. Yet the light was buried deep below, hardly visible anymore, the darkness more pronounced than ever before. Maybe he had thought if a kiss didn't help he could fuck the light back into her but his hope had been in vain.

Killian sighed, leaning down to pull up his trousers, stepping away from the table to let Emma jump down. She was still breathing heavily, eyes closed as she waited for her blood pressure to ebb down. When she finally found her breath again, she reached out a hand to his face, cupping his cheek in a way that was usually so comforting and reassuring.

"Had I known what you were holding back from me, I would've gone dark much sooner," she announced, looking at him mischievously, running a hand through her tousled golden curls.

The words sent a shiver down his spine.  _His_ Emma would perhaps say such a thing as a joke, this Emma though? He knew she meant it and it broke his heart a little more. He felt like he'd just betrayed her, like he had done something wrong, something forbidden. But what was done was done.

Finally, Emma jumped down from the table, pulling her pants and jeans back up. She stood in front of him, smirking and, playing his part once more, he stepped closer, embracing her.

"This is nothing compared to what I'll do to you once we find a bed," he growled low in his throat, his hand reaching for the dagger behind her again.

"May I?" he inquired openly, stepping away from her, the blade in hand.

She scrutinised him carefully, eyes resting on where he held the dagger. He could see her mind working, trying to figure out whether or not to trust him with the instrument or not. Eventually she nodded. He had to hold back a sigh of relief and started inspecting the blade more carefully, shouting a silent command that he hoped would work.

When they had first realised what had happened to Emma, Belle had gone over her books and had come up with a theory as to what the Dark One's plans really were. While Killian looked at the blade now, it was evident enough that Belle's theory rang with truth. He felt as if a skeletal hand gripped his heart, cold creeping into the deepest crevices of his body even though his blood was still rushing through him from the activities of before.

When the shop's doorbell rang, both Killian and Emma's heads shot up turning to the sound.

Still acting his part, Killian grinned at Emma and raised his eyebrow. "Let's have some fun."

Together they entered the display room where Gold stood waiting for them. Killian saw the satisfaction on the Dark One's face when he saw them together and he had to grip the dagger tighter. A shadow crossed the other man's face then as he spotted the blade in Killian's hand confirming Killian's suspicions further.

Beside him, he felt Emma stagger, saw Gold's mouth turn into the grin Killian so despised and he realised that there was only little time left.

"Quite perceptive, aren't you," Gold chuckled manically, seeing Killian raise the dagger and stare at it. The letters were fading slowly, yet Gold still stood there, no threat to his life visible.

"Hook, what's going on?" Emma moaned, her voice laboured, her hands pressed to her sternum as if she were in pain.

Killian clenched his jaw, his eyes growing dark as he watched how his love suffered and with three quick strides he stepped towards Gold, holding the dagger against his throat.

"You will not get away with this, crocodile."

Gold simply laughed, throwing a look to Emma. "But I already have," he smiled, apparently not caring about the sharp blade to his throat.

Killian had always known the outcome of this from the moment he'd heard about Emma's downfall. He had tried to convince himself that he could do this differently, that he could resist but the truth was, the end result had always been apparent. When Belle had told him of her suspicions his determination had only grown stronger and when he'd finally held the dagger in his hands, he'd thought he would turn to this as a last resort but deep down he'd known. Now he had to make peace with his decision.

He loved her too much to lose her. If it meant he would lose himself, then that was the price he would pay. As he focused his thoughts, everything around him suddenly seemed to disappear, grow out of focus. Only Gold remained and Emma, her presence always lingering with him no matter if she was in the room or not. Maybe his actions tonight had not been the ones of a hero. Maybe that was because he would always stay a villain. And as a villain he could do this.

He turned around and met Emma's eyes that were still laced with darkness but now had a hint confusion mixed in. Her hands clasped her chest like something was hurting her, pulling at her heart, her soul. He wanted to go to her, hold her to him and tell her that everything was going to be okay, that she would not have to worry about him, that she'd be fine again but there was no time to lose as the letters disappeared more quickly now. And with every letter that disappeared, he could see that Emma's pain grew.

"I will never let you win," Killian growled, his voice taut and low. His mind was made up, his path clear. Gold had no time to react, the only indication to his realisation was the sudden fear in his eyes when he grasped that his plan had failed, that he had underestimated Killian once again. Love was weakness and Emma was Killian's weakness. He would go to the end of the world for her and he would kill for her if it ensured her safety, her life and so weakness turned into strength. With one swift move - neither Gold nor Emma had time to grasp the full concept of Killian's plan - he took the dagger from Gold's throat and drove it through the man's chest, right into his heart. The light in Gold's eyes went out in an instant, dark smoke swirling around Emma like a tornado, hiding her from Killian's view as he dropped to his knees with Gold falling limbless into his arms. With a grunt he pushed the dead man off his chest, pulling out the doomed knife in his hands. The name on it had disappeared completely and when Killian looked at it, letter after letter started to reappear. Relief washed over him as he saw his own name spelled out instead of Emma's. He felt as if he was walking in a dream, everything around him had slowed down, darkness slowly seeping into him stronger than ever before, welcoming its new master like the old friend that he was. He heard Emma's cry then, realised that the smoke around her had gotten sucked into the knife, felt her leaping forward, felt her hands on his shoulder and knee.

"What have you done?"

It was a voice from far away, lost in a place he could no longer go. He could feel the magic flow through his veins, unfamiliar yet still so natural. It frightened him. His heart beat hard against his chest as he tried to fight all the thoughts filled with rage in his restless mind.

"Killian!" the voice shouted again.

Finally, he lifted his head and found himself looking into stormy eyes. Emma's eyes. They were raging with fire, but the darkness was gone from them, replaced by the light she carried within. There was fear and worry and something like anger, too, but all he could see was their usual emerald shine that filled him with warmth.

"What did you do, Killian?" she insisted again, cupping his cheek.

"I saved you…" he chocked, holding up the dagger in front of her with a smile on his face.


	3. And at Last I See The Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Killian struggles to keep the darkness at bay, Emma seeks the help of another villain to contain the curse. With a perhaps slightly unorthodox solution and while everyone has to decide how to see good and bad, Emma begins a journey to find a cure for the Dark One's curse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took me ages to finish and I apologise. My muse left, finals approached, holidays got in the way. And somewhere in between I just rewrote this final chapter about 500 times. 
> 
> I hope you like my conclusion to this. It's the final part and even with a slightly open ending I will leave it like this. Thank you all for reading, please enjoy.

**_Part 3:_ ** _And at Last I See The Light_

_“I saved you…”_  

The words sounded strange in her ears, wrong even. He wasn’t supposed to save her. She was the saviour. She was supposed to save herself and everyone else. 

The reality of what had happened was hard to grasp. She was still in a daze, hungover from a spell she hadn’t known she was under and even now wasn’t sure had ever _been_ under. She remembered the emotions that had dragged her down, that had lured her into a place she never knew she’d wanted to go. She remembered the pain and the power, the desire and the desperation. Shuddering at the thought, she forced herself to find her focus on his face again. His usually ocean blue eyes were glazed over with a mist that made them look more like a dull winters day, filled with pain and a longing to regain control that she  so wished she could return to him in some form. Seeing him like this shattered her heart. This should never have happened. She should never have fallen so deep, should never have let herself get lured in by the Dark One’s taunts. Why hadn’t she just trusted Killian, trusted herself? If she had just done that, he would not be in this position right now. She never wanted him to sacrifice himself for her, never wanted to endanger him. Yet here they were.

“Killian,” she whispered softly, concerned. It could not be real, had to be a dream. If she pretended hard enough that this was not happening maybe it would turn out to be nothing. Maybe it would turn out to just be another bump on their endless road of finding happiness and peace but as a tortured groan escaped Killian’s lips that brought her focus back to him, her wish evaporated like a cloud in the sun. His hand was clenching hard around the dagger, knuckles going white with the effort to quench the pain. Emma could practically feel the darkness weaving its way into his body, felt a crackling in the space between her hand and his cheek where her light magic came close to his new found dark magic.

“Killian -“ her voice broke as she closed the distance and stroked his cheek with her thumb, tethering him to this place, to her. “Killian, please hold on. Please stay with me -

“Swan.” His voice was barely above a whisper as he croaked out her name, his eyes boring into her very soul. “Stop blaming yourself.” 

Emma would have laughed were it not for his pained expression shining through the smile he tried to give her. She was an open book to him even now. She would always be an open book to him.

Shushing him before he could say more, Emma leaned in, touching her forehead to his. A wave of electricity jolted through her then starting where their skin made contact, making her grit her teeth in shock as the wave travelled through her body. Yes, she had felt the magic flowing through him but only faintly. Yet now it was no longer just a tingling sensation. The new touch ignited a spark much stronger than just a slight vibration. She felt her own magic stir inside her, wanting to roar up like a beast to defend her against the darkness of his new found powers. She wondered where that self-preservation had been when this destructive darkness had found its way into _her_ system. 

Killian shuddered under her touch, feeling her light fight him. He closed his eyes in a futile attempt to not feel anything then, trying not to let her know the pain he was in as he felt like a million shards of glass ripped through his veins, tearing him open and tainting his blood with darkness. She saw it anyway. She might have been an open book to him but he wore everything on his sleeve: his heart, his emotions, his pain. Emma hated seeing him like this. 

 _Let this be a nightmare_.

A nightmare she could deal with. Killian turning into the Dark One, however, she could not. She couldn’t lose him.

“Emma, stop,” he moaned again, biting his back teeth, dropping the dagger from his hand to cup her cheek. 

“I should’ve stopped you.” 

She nestled her head into his hand, her voice barely above a whisper. Her breath mixed with his as they inhaled and exhaled in tandem.

A chuckle escaped his lips at her words as he brushed away a tear that had started its descent down her cheek. “I wasn’t going to lose you.”

Another tear fell from her eyes, painting a trail of glistening wet down her cheek. His words mirrored her thoughts and they threatend a sob to escape her lips. Her emotions were running wild, the walls she used to have around her crumbled and broken on the ground, leaving her vulnerable, exposed. Her chest felt so tight, her heart so heavy and she wished there was something she could do. Something that would change this. Something that would save _him_.

Her mind was racing at a hundred miles per hour as she tried to think of a solution and her thoughts went back to the moment Killian had taken the dagger from the table. Something in her told her that it was important, that there was a clue there somewhere. 

“I..I can’t lose you, either,” she stammered, softly stroking her thumb over his cheek, her forehead still touching his as their opposing magic sent sparks flying through their bodies still.

She’d told him before that she couldn’t lose him and she meant it even more now. Before the darkness had stolen her away from him she had started to realise just how much she cared for him, just how much she’d let him in. It had scared the shit out of her when the word ‘love’ had stolen its way into her thoughts one night, her breath had hitched, her chest tightened. But to her own surprise she had had to discover that thoughts of running stayed far away. She loved him. Maybe if she’d admitted it openly the darkness would not have found a way to weasel into her system. Maybe if she had just trusted herself, had trusted him, had trusted them… 

Maybes weren’t going to help though. 

“Emma.” Her name falling in a whisper from his lips brought her back once more, her tears still falling from her eyes. “I don’t know how long I can keep the darkness at bay.”

“Don’t say that,” she sobbed, holding on to him for dear life. 

“Love, you have seen me at my worst. I cannot hold back the darkness bck so I cannot be allowed to stay amongst you.”

Emma shook her head fiercely. “Don’t say that,” she repeated. “We will find a way.”

As another wave of darkness surged through him and he clenched his jaw to ease the pain, he shook his head. He knew there was no other way. If there was one thing he was certain about it was that he did not want to see his old self improved with magical powers roam the streets of this town or be anywhere close to Emma. He did not want to hurt anyone but he knew he would if the darkness consumed him so completely. The only thing that kept him from falling into the void right now was his love for her but it would not be enough just like it had not been enough for her.

It was then that the door opened in a gust of wind as Emma’s parents surged in followed by Henry, Regina, Lily and Maleficent. 

The group stared in shock at the scene that revealed itself in front of their eyes, all of them talking in a jumble of words to learn what had happened but Killian had only eyes for Emma. As he watched her he could almost see how her brain suddenly latched on to an idea. 

She shushed everyone and took less than five minutes to explain the situation asking for help. She looked so strong. He could hear the quiver in her voice as she told them what had happened but he saw the strength in her nonetheless. He watched as Maleficent talked to Emma intently, watched as Regina checked Gold’s body for any signs of life, felt grateful as David placed a hand on his shoulder in support. 

Eventually, Emma returned to him and quickly explained her plan while the darkness roared up in him even more, trying to infect him faster. With a groan and a set jaw he heaved himself off the floor, sitting down on the bench in the shop, pushing the dagger into Emma’s hand as he did so. “I’m a survivor, love,” he groaned at her worried expression. “It’s a good plan.”

Emma’s tear-clouded eyes made it hard for her to focus on him but she nodded, leaning in for a kiss. As their lips met, Killian felt a sharp object like a needle stab his wrist and he broke the kiss, his eyes wide with surprise

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered, watching his eyelids close over his blue eyes still filled with pain and surprise.

“I love you.” 

He wasn’t sure he’d heard her. Maybe it was just a dream.

* * *

It was dark outside when Emma arrived at the mansion three months after they had put Killian under the sleeping curse. She was tired, her feet ached, her back hurt, her heart was heavy but for the first time in a long time she felt hopeful. She had spent the day with Henry, still trying to make sure he knew just how much she loved him. He’d always been her rock but after she’d lost Killian to the darkness, Henry had been the one person who’d kept her sane. Him and their quest to save Killian. 

Standing outside the mansion, her heart raced fast in her chest. Belle had called her twenty minutes ago totell her she had found something, something that might finally bring Killian back to her.

Emma had spent every single day with her sleeping pirate, watched him as he lay there, no trace of the fight in his body between light and dark visible on his face. She talked to him, told him about her day, about what was going on in town, about how much she missed him. Sometimes she held his hand but that was as close as she allowed herself to get. They had put him here in the mansion where it was comfortable and no one disturbed him, where books of magic were stacked in the library and her path to saving him had begun. 

The repercussions of what Killian had done had hung over the town like a storm cloud for days but as everyone had tried to find a new definition of what described a hero and what made a villain the realisation had dawned on them that not everything was simply black and white. Sometimes good people did bad things, sometimes bad people did good things. Sometimes good people and bad people just weren’t so different at all. And while Emma had started on her search to save Killian, her parents \- with the help of Regina and Maleficent \- had proven themselves worthy as heroes once more finding Isaac and making sure he would not threaten them anymore. Yes, good people did bad things and bad people did good things. But when they worked together, sometimes better things could happen. It really wasn’t simply black or white.

Belle had taken the loss of her husband with her head held high. She’d mourned but she’d known long ago that the only outcome for this was his death and she didn’t begrudge Killian his actions. They had gotten to know each other well enough over the past months for her to know that he would do anything for love, would do anything to save _his_ love.  Love was indeed a weapon but maybe sometimes it could be a good one. Plus she had Will to steady her and before long she started to spend her time by Emma’s side. Belle knew what it was like to live with the Dark One, to love the Dark One, and she did not want Emma to have to go through that too. 

Emma admired the young woman’s strength and was more than grateful for her help, support and friendship. Belle had told her what she had told Killian. That Rumple had found a way to transfer the Dark One’s curse onto another human being without killing the previous host. And with this information they had started their hunt for more information. Emma had seen the way Killian had looked at the dagger, had realised that the darkness could indeed get taunted out of its shell and if that was possible, then other things had to be possible too. Together with August and a rather reluctant Isaac they had found out about the sorcerer’s apprentice. They were able to release him from the hat and he had told them that the path to free Killian would lead them to Camelot. It was like the pieces of a puzzle were slowly coming together and maybe Belle had just found the final cornerstone. 

“Did you find anything on Camelot?” Emma asked as she barged through the doors to find Belle buried in her books.

The brunette shook her head. “Not directly. But I think I found a way to contain the darkness long enough for us to find a way to get there.”

She grabbed a book and held it up for Emma to see. 

“It says that even the darkest of magic can be tethered to something other than a human being if the magic binding it is strong enough. I think… I think we could tether it to the dagger. It wouldn’t cure Killian, he would still be the Dark One but the darkness and the magic would not be able to touch him directly. It would stick to the dagger and the person wielding the magic”

“We could wake him?”

Belle saw the little spark of hope flickering in Emma’s eyes and her heart went out to the saviour. She nodded.

The news released a tension in Emma she hadn’t realised she was holding. With tears in her eyes she let herself fall onto a chair, her heart - her soul - aching with relief. She’d missed him. More than she cared to admit. She had whispered that she loved him before he went under the curse but she neither knew whether he heard it or whether she’d get to say it again. Those months ago in Gold’s shop, Maleficent had explained to her that a sleeping spell would only last so long and might not contain the darkness. The only way was a curse. It was sheer luck that Maleficent still had a vial of her old curse, one that didn’t require the victim to take it voluntarily. If she hadn’t, Emma didn’t know what she would’ve done. 

Even so it had broken her heart but she had had to trust her feelings for him and soon she would know just how true they were. 

“I don’t know if I can do it…”

It was barely a whisper but Belle heard her anyway.

“You love him, don’t you?”

A little startled Emma looked at her. The smile on the other woman’s face was tender, knowing. Belle knew what love was like, what loving a person you were not supposed to love was like. Emma smiled lightly in return. “Yes. Yes I do.” 

It would work. It had to work. Taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders, she got up. “Now tell me about this… this ritual.”

* * *

An hour later they were all gathered around Killian’s sleeping form, Emma sitting by his side, the dagger lying heavy in her hand. Her parents, Henry, and Regina had arrived shortly after she’d called them. They would need back up in case anything went wrong. 

Emma ran her hand through Killian’s hair, watching the soft features on his face. He hadn’t changed. He looked exactly the same as he had when he’d saved her from the Dark One’s curse. 

“You’re sure this will work?” she asked again. 

“It’s our only option if we want him awake.”

She nodded. 

The solution was surprisingly simple. The darkness had to be tethered to something, the dagger controlled it. If the darkness had two tethers it wouldn’t know where to go, sticking to the thing that controlled it. Hoping this theory was sound, hoping her light would be enough, hoping even more that her love would be enough, she ran her thumb over the scar on his cheek and leaned down. She didn’t dare think about the possibility of failure. What would it mean if he didn’t wake up? That she didn’t love him enough? That he didn’t love her? Biting her lip she brushed her nose to his, the closest contact she’d shared with him in a long time. There was only one way to find out. And then her lips met his.

She’d experienced True Love’s Kiss before but it was nothing compared to this. The wave of light that escaped from where their lips met was not only bright and warm but so full of power that she thought for a moment it would drive out even the darkness. Then his lips responded to hers and every single thought she ever had was forgotten because he had come back to her. She didn’t hear her mother’s gasp of joy, her father’s chuckle or Regina’s groan. All she heard was his moan and all she felt was his hand in her hair, his hook around her waist.

As both came up for air, their foreheads touched lightly. “Swan,” he gasped, hand still in her hair, holding her close. 

“I love you,” she whispered, tears running down her face. 

She could feel the grin spreading on his face before he groaned again, this time in pain. 

“We don’t have much time.”

Emma turned around to the others and nodded towards Regina. They would need all the magic they could get. 

“What is it, love?” Killian asked through gritted teeth. 

“We might have a way to contain the darkness long enough to find a way to Camelot.”

“Camelot?” 

The look of surprise on his face did not escape her notice but they really had no time. 

“Do you trust me?” 

“Of course I do, Swan.”

She nodded. “Give me your hand.”

Killian did as he was told, a million questions swimming in his head. But he trusted her and hoped she had indeed found a way to contain this darkness that was now ripping through him freely again. He watched as Emma cut her own hand with the dagger, blood flowing out immediately. Regina was there at the ready, collecting some of the blood in a vial. Then he watched as the process got repeated on his own hand. It looked like a strange dark ritual but when Emma squeezed his wrist with her uncut hand, he held back on his confusion and surprise. Emma took the vial of blood from Regina’s hand and slowly poured it over the dagger, reciting words from a book Belle held out for her. Smoke rose from the dagger where blood met metal, seemingly scorching the instrument but Emma kept going, her magic visibly flowing into the dagger with the blood. When her hand started to shake, Regina grabbed hold of it too and the two women whispered the words together.  

He could feel a change in him then. Somehow the darkness was becoming less pronounced, like it was confused that his body was the right one to be in. He heard Emma gasp next to him, her breath visibly hitching in her throat. 

“Love, what’s happening?”

“The curse is getting tethered to the dagger,” she groaned. “And my magic is holding it there so it doesn’t know who is the real Dark One. You or me.” 

She hated the feeling of having the darkness back but it was not nearly as bad as the first time. She could feel it but it was like an echo. She could feel that it was confused. It meant it was working. Her eyes found the dagger in her hand and she watched as the letters on it seemed to explode only to reappear seconds later in a jumble of her own and Killian’s names. A slight smile spread on her lips. It was kind of ironic. 

Next to her she heard Killian take a deep breath like he had just emerged from the water that he’d been drowning in. 

“I can hardly feel it anymore,” he said in surprise. 

At his words the smile finally broke into a full on grin as she beamed widely at him. Before she could say anything he went in for a kiss, locking his lips with hers in a passionate display of affection and only the loud coughing noises from the other people in the room made him back off. 

He turned around then, sheepishly scratching behind his ear. “You said something about Camelot?”

His eyes found Belle’s and she nodded at him, both in reply to his question and to make sure he knew she was okay. “Why are you looking for Camelot?”

“The sorcerer. And he knows how to get rid of this curse once and for all.” 

“Good thing you woke me up then. I know exactly how to get there.” 

* * *

When they all walked out of the mansion that evening, Emma knew they would get through this. They had come so far, had survived so many things. They had confirmation of their true love (something she was sure he would bring up soon enough) and they had a new lead in their quest to find Camelot and a cure. More relieved and hopeful than she had felt in a long time, she leaned into Killian’s side, her head on his shoulder and his arm wound tightly around her. The dagger was safely tucked into the inside pocket of his leather jacket. He reached for it, inspecting the letters that were still shifting between his own and Emma’s name. One second showing _Emma Swan,_ the next _Emma Jones_ or _Killian Swan._

“Are you worried, love?” he asked softly.

Emma shook her head. “No. Not really” 

He raised an eyebrow at her, feeling the pride swell in his chest at how much her self-esteem had grown. “May I ask what makes you so confident?”

“Because we can do this the right way now,” she simply replied. “Together.” 


End file.
